Note: There would be quite a bit of information dump in this Chapter but it’s essential to enjoying the rest of the story. Thank you!
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The feeling of dread filled Islinda’s stomach the more she thought about her accidental first meeting with Valerie. She refused to believe the deep-seated affection she felt for the summer prince was fake and it was Fae nature to compel a human to fall in love with them. They were predators after all, and like the moth to the flame, humans can’t get help but get intrigued until they’re woven tight under their control.
No way, she wasn’t bewitched by Valerie’s appearance, it was something more. Nor would Valerie charm and let her believe she loved him. He was not capable of that. Although Islinda had no idea what the summer prince was capable of anymore with what’s happened between them lately. The more she stayed in Astaria, the further Valerie’s flaws were revealed to her. He wasn’t the same kind, innocent, and handsome Fae she was enraptured with.
By chance, could it be she merely liked the idea of being in love with a kind Fae male and proved to humankind that a relationship with the Fae was possible, or had the prospect merely thrilled her? A shudder ran through her, that was impossible. Her feelings for Valerie were real.
Sure Islinda had to admit that these Fae creatures, especially the males, were breathtakingly handsome, and irresistible but she was not head over heels in love with any of them except Valerie. Her senses were still intact and she had the self-control to behave around them. Unless of course, they used some sort of charm on her, she wasn’t throwing herself on any of them, especially the seductive Andre.
Also, Islinda was positive she knew when in love or not. She would have gone to the ends of the world for Valerie, but he gave up on her first. That was love and not infatuation. Islinda hardened her resolve, refusing to let some piece of information from a book get into her. So even though Islinda was annoyed by the book, she still had no choice but to continue reading
Just as there were different human races, the same could be said for the Fae. Within the Otherworld, there are different factions, political "parties," and types of Faeries and creatures.
Not all the Fae live in the forest or woodland areas as naive humans assume. Some live in the sea, urban areas, the desert, or even in mines. There are so many different kinds of Fae; their living arrangements are just as vast and varied.
They also exist all over the human realm but may go by another name other than the Fae depending on the location and culture. Faeries belonged to courts and the most populated were the Seelie and Unseelie Fae. The Seelie are said to be blessed and often refer to the group of Faeries who are lovely, cheerful, friendly, and honorable. The Seelie are made up of the summer court, spring court, and dawn court.
While the Unseelie are a group of Faeries hostile to humankind and wicked temperament. The Unseelie are thought to enjoy torturing and harming mortals, are easily offended, and should be avoided. The Unseelie are the winter courts, Autumn courts, and the night court.
"By the gods, no....." Islinda groaned, rubbing her temples with the sudden overflow of information. It was enough she was dealing with four Fae courts, now there were more?
Aldric told her that King Oberon had married from the four courts to unite the Fae and create the kingdom of Astaria. Perhaps, it was a good thing that the king stopped at four wives. Islinda was curious about what made him stop at four though.
Were the four main Fae courts powerful enough to silence the minority courts? King Oberon could have pushed his luck one more time by marrying from the other courts - note the sarcasm - and creating more aberrations like Aldric. Perhaps, then, his greed would be finally satisfied.
With an eye roll, Islinda shifted her attention to the book. It was worth knowing that neither court was necessarily "good" nor "evil". Just as humans decide to be good or bad regardless of their background. The same could be said for the Fae. They’re just individuals. Every Fae acts differently, just like humans.
It is different for a mortal to understand the Fae because the creatures live by their own rules, ethics, morals, and etiquette different from their culture. Faeries don’t always understand things like sadness, empathy, or love in the way that humans do. Not to mention, many of the Fae are considered hedonistic. The emotions they feel are mostly steeped in passion and hence, they are considered intense creatures.
With determination, Islinda flipped to the next page, and her brow raised in interest, "The power of a Fae’s hidden name?"
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